The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Canon 600mm f4.0L IS USM and the Canon 600mm f4.0L IS II USM for their suitability to various photography scenarios:
Size and Weight Comparison
The size of a lens is an important deciding factor when comparing two lenses. Canon 600mm f4.0L IS USM is the longer of the two lenses at 456mm. The Canon 600mm f4.0L IS II USM with a length of 449mm, is 7mm shorter. On the other hand, there is no difference between the max diameters of these lenses, both coming at 168mm.
The weight of a lens is as important as its external dimensions, especially if you are planning to hand hold your camera and lens combination for longer periods. Canon 600mm f4.0L IS II USM weighs 3920g, 26% (1440g) lighter than the Canon 600mm f4.0L IS USM's weight of 5360g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Telephoto Prime Lenses in Canon EF Mount for size comparison purposes.
Telephoto Prime Lenses in Canon EF Mount for Size Comparison
Lens Mounts
Both the Canon 600mm f4.0L IS USM and the Canon 600mm f4.0L IS II USM has the same Canon EF lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Canon EF lenses are Canon 1D X III, Canon 6D MII and Canon 5D MIV.
Focal Range
Both lenses have the same focal range of 600mm and the fastest aperture of F4.0.